Mshari Al-Zaydi has an interesting column in today’s Asharq Alawsat, exploring the possible reasons that Islamic—and particularly Arab—civilizations have fallen so far behind the West when it comes to science. Definitely worth reading.
Answering Zeweil’s Question?
Mshari Al-Zaydi“Does the problem lie in the fact that we are Arabs or is it because we are Muslims?â€
This depressing and puzzling question was posed by the Egyptian scientist Ahmed Zeweil who, in 1991, won the Noble Prize in Chemistry. The question was put forward at the Al Yamamah University in Riyadh, during his recent visit to the Saudi capital.
Zeweil asked this question in search of a convincing explanation for the failures of Arabs and Muslims to participate, even slightly, in the scientific renaissance that is taking place from East to West, from Japan to the United States bypassing Arab and Muslim regions.
Dr. Zeweil took the initiative to answer stating that the Arab individual is successful in the West since he is granted the elements required for success. He said, “It is wrong to associate problems with Islam since our Muslim ancestors were the most prominent in the field of science,†as quoted by Al Hayat newspaper, 6 January 2008.
Zeweil, who was engulfed by the number of requests from Arab governments to assist them in launching scientific revival from Saudi Arabia to Egypt and other countries, is completely focused on this problem: why is it that we are lagging so far behind in the field of science? He continues to assert upon the fact that the appropriate environment for scientific research is absent in the Arab world. Out of appreciation, he explained that had it not been for the freedom of creativity in the United States he would never have progressed in the field of science to such an extent.
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11:55,
I would suggest reading Arthur Koestler’s The Sleepwalkers. He makes some harsh judgments on why science failed to flourish in Asia and Middle East though much of the advanced theory had already been developed by them (concept of zero etc) long before Europe.
19:42,
I think Yusuf al Samaan got it right, and I’ve witnessed “the lack of a critical mentality” in action among science and engineering students of different nationalities. I consider the phenomenon is more Arab than Muslim, for it seems especially pronounced when Arab students have an Arab professor. OTO, have you seen the same thing?
Thanks to the commentaries of Ibn Rushd (also known as Averroes) on Aristotle, particularly his attempts at rapprochement between philosophy and Shariah, in addition to Ibn Seena, Ibn al Nafees and other great astronomers, Latin thinkers were placed back on track…Why were these figures able to have such a great influence upon the West but not upon their own peoples?
I feel Al-Zaydi knows the answer, for he mentions the imam one Western historian, Will Durant, considers the chief culprit in the next paragraph. But Al-Zaydi can’t bring himself to criticize the man directly. That itself is a symptom of the disease!
03:35,
Solomon2:
My teaching experience is very limited. But as a student educated in South Asia, my biggest gripe was the focus on learning by rote. Professors (including those in science) actively discouraged questioning and criticism. I think I learned to aggressively ask questions only after I moved to the US.
15:08,
Islam And The West Accelerated Links For 13 Januar
Crossroads Arabia explores the issue of why Muslim civilisation has fallen behind western civilisation in the field of science.
16:41,
I think I learned to aggressively ask questions only after I moved to the US.
But in the US did you have Arab and Muslim professors or were they Western ones?
12:13,
Solomon2:
Western mainly but I honestly don’t think it made a difference. Professors in US were just more open to questioning and opposition from students.
It’s not just science, it is so ingrained culturally that I still consider it rude to question someone older than myself even when I know they are being idiots. I shoot away nonethless;)
14:08,
I started getting into academic trouble starting in, oh, the second grade? By the fifth, my correcting the teachers was presenting a problem… for the teachers. By the time I hit high school, I knew that I could either challenge on the facts or just shut up and continue to know what I knew in silence.
Some teachers just don’t like to be challenged, especially on the facts.
14:09,
I started getting into academic trouble starting in, oh, the second grade? By the fifth, my correcting the teachers was presenting a problem… for the teachers. By the time I hit high school, I knew that I could either challenge on the facts or just shut up and continue to know what I knew in silence.
Some
teacherspeople just don’t like to be challenged, especially on the facts.15:55,
The decline set in when the puritan Al-Ghazali began to undermine this rationalistic tradition and instead push for dogma over thought, obedience over free will and the primacy of doctrine. It was the beginning of the end…
16:16,
John,
Been there, done that. I love history and would often get into debates with my high school history teachers. They didnt like to be informed that they were wrong about given subjects.
My father’s undergrad degree was in history, so I guess I took it from him. Couple that with an absolute love of reading and I was trouble for many of my teachers.
20:13,
Mine started with a teacher trying to tell me that ‘like charges attract’ in a science module. She was only 40 years older than me, so what did I know? I knew that like charged did not attract.